Moving the Chick's into the Coop with the Chicken's ...?!

[MKKimmen]

We have Three 1 year old Hens, and Four 4 month old Hens out in the Coop/Run right now. We have Four 1 month old Chick's waiting to be moved out to the Coop. I'm just wondering how old they need to be before they can move out to the coop?? The temp's here in MICH have been warm/hot, and they are fully feathered and not using a heat lamp anymore. But I am wondering is it okay to move 1month old chicks in with the older girls... ?? We were going to move them out when they were about 6 weeks.

Thanks!

 

[chickenmom1]

I would wait until they are full size. You would hate it if any of them were hurt. We put up some chicken wire and separted our hens from the babies. They are only three weeks old and we made a little pen out of the back of the coop for them. It's hot here too. It was 103 here today. I put a fan in the coop, but the chicks stayed outside most of the day. Good luck.
J

 

[nanawendy]

I might try a transition coop. Either divide your coop with chicken wire... or do an add on to one side of your coop with a shelter inside for night time. This is so they can get to know one another without and contact. I sometimes bring one or two of each age group into the tractor. I watch them carefully to see how they interact. This gives them a headstart on friendships and me an opportunity to intervene if trouble arises. good luck and have fun

 

[nanawendy]

Oh yah too both of you OP and chickenmom1

and sorry it's so hot

I'm in nw Washington and it's lovely today

 

[COOPster]

I just finished intergrating a flock of 26 13 week olds in with my 4 year old hens 7 of them. I divided my existing run and put the chicks in about 2 months ago right beside the older girls. They would watch each other and peck through the wire at each other occasionally but nothing serious. 1 week ago I made a opening so they could mingle with each other for a few hours. Went very well, only one chick lost a few feathers, nothing at all serious. I let them have increasing time together each day over the past week. Today they have been togther all day and will roost together tonight. There has been minor turf wars nothing more than the older ladies letting the young girls know who is boss. I have used this method before and it is painless. My last batch I did have to wait until around 16 weeks as I had a nasty ole girl, she thought she was a roo, even crowed, liked the ole girl hated to see her go.

 

[MKKimmen]

Thanks!

 

[elena de Gaia]

Thanks. This was helpfull information for me also. My hens were 2 years old when I got the this fall and 2 broody hens have hatched out 13 chicks. THe mama hens and their chicks are in a sparate coop section along side the other hens. the only problem is some aggression between the two moms on occaision. I'm keeping an eye on them.